Snubbed spring group



l JNVENToR. 4 jbma L. F. RAMOS SNUBBED SPRING GROUP Filed Dec.

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Oct. 27, 1953 Patented Oct. 27, 1953 SNUBBED SPRING GROUP Lawrence F. Ramos, Chicago, Ill., assignor to American Steel Foundries, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 1, 1950, Serial No. 198,583

(Cl.v 267-9) Claims.

This invention relates to a spring group for a railway car truck and more specifically to a package including a plurality of coil springs and a friction device of novel form in parallel therewith.

The general object of the invention is to provide a novel friction arrangement which will control relative movements between supporting and supported members such as a side frame and a bolster of a railway car truck and also damp resilient oscillations of the spring group.

A more specific object of the invention is to devise a friction device wherein the parts thereof connected to the top and bottom plates of the group are so formed and arranged as to add strength to the plates.

Another object of the invention is to devise a spring group with a friction device of novel form which will perform efficiently and have long life in service.

A still further object of the invention is to devise friction means which serve Athe part of the support for the load.

Another object of the invention is to design a friction arrangement which provides friction in proportion to the load.

A still further object of the invention is to form the parts of the friction device which are connected to the top and bottom plates of novel simple form such as may be easily cast without requiring extensive coring.

A more specific object of the invention is to arrange the friction device in such manner as to take advantage of all of the available space to provide a substantial structure with generous bearing areas and adequate'capacity.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from the specilication and the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of a spring group incorporating the invention, the section being taken substantially in the vertical planes indicated by the line I-I of Figure 2 with certain load coils omitted in order to more clearly illustrate the construction;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure l; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary end view with parts broken away and certain parts omitted in order to clarify the showing.

Describing the invention in detail, the spring group comprises a top spring plate 2 and a bottom spring plate 4, the marginal end portions of each of which may have a scalloplike contour in order to conform to the coil springs conned therebeas best seen in Figure l.

tween and indicated 6, 6. Each plate may have inturned flanges 8, 8 to confine the upper and lower ends of the spring and to strengthen the respective plates. As will be readily seen in Fgure 2, the springs are disposed at the four corners of the spring group, that is two sets of inner and outer coils of each end of the group.

A friction device, generally indicated I0, is disposed centrally in the spring group and oomprises top and bottom followers I2 and I4.

The top follower I2 includes a central wall I extending substantially perpendicular to the top plate 2 and merging at its upper end with the innei side of said plate 2. The friction wall I6 extends transversely of the spring group and at its lateral edges is tapered upwardly as at I8, I8, the upper ends of the lateral edges of the wall i6 merge with the inner sides of the adjacent portions 29, 2Q of the ange 8, said portions 26, 20 extending longitudinally of the spring package. The wall I 6 is formed integral with substantially vertical webs or gussets 22, 22 adjacent to each end thereof, said webs 22 extending transversely of the wall I6 from opposite sides thereof and each web 22 merging at its upper end with the underside of the top plate 2. Each web 22 is tapered upwardly as at 24, 24 at its lateral edges The webs 22, 22 are substantially parallel to each other and extend generally perpendicular to the top plate 2. It will be seen in Figure 2 that the upper ends of the lateral edges at 24, 24 of the webs 22 are formed with spring positioning lugs 26, 26, partially surrounding the upper end of the adjacent outer coils 6. The lugs 26 extend outwardly of the associated web 22. It will be seen that the webs 22, 22 and the wall I6 are arranged in the form of` an H, which provides rigidity at the center of the spring group, and the arrangement of the lugs 26, 26 and the extensions 28, 28 of the walls I6 beyond the webs 22, 22 adds rigidity. A friction plate 30 is secured to each side of wall I6 as by welding at 32 and 34 to the webs 22 and wall I 6 respectively.

Each plate 36 is engaged by a front wall 36 of a shoe 38 interposed between the webs 22, 22. It will be seen that each shoe 38 is of skeletal construction and comprises a hollow structure. The front wall is connected at its upper portion to a rear wall 40 of the shoe by ledges 42, 42 which are disposed at opposite sides of the shoe, and the lower portion of the front wall 36 is connected as by walls 44, 44 disposed inwardly of the ledges and merging at their upper ends with the inner extremities of the respective ledges and at` their 3 lower ends with the lateral edges of a bottom wall 4G which at its forward and rear edges joins with the lower edges of the front and rear walls 36 and 4G of the shoe. It will be seen in Figure 2, that the rear wall of each shoe is curved outwardly at its center portion 48 between the sets of springs G, 6 at the adjacent end of the spring group, thus taking advantage of the available space and providing maximum internal space, The bottom sides of the hollow ledges 42, 42 of each shoe present wedge surfaces 50, 50 sloping downwardly toward the center of the spring group.

Each shoe 38 has its lower .por-tion received between a pair of wedge members 52, 52 of the bottom follower I4. Each wedge member 52 is of hollow construction substantially U-shaped in horizontal cross section and is' integrally connected at its lower end to the top side of the bottom plate 4 and presents at its top side a wedge surface 54 sloping downwardly toward the center of the group and in wedge engagement with .the surface 50 of the ledge 42 thereabove. It will -be seen that each shoe `thus has two ledges, each of `which engages a wedge member therebelow and that the wedge members are disposed one adjacent each set of springs. The sides of the wedge members 52 adjacent the respective coils are 4formed at vtheir lower ends with spring positioning lugs 55 `extending partially around the lower end of the adjacent coil.

The shoes 38, A38 are actuated into wedge engagement with the respective wedge members and into frictional engagement with the friction surfaces on the plates 30, 35 thereof by shoe actuating springs 58, 58, each spring extending Vinto the associated shoe `and at its lower end seating as at 60 against the top side of the bottom wall 46 of the shoe and at Vits upper end being positioned as at V62 against the `bottom side of the top plate 2 by a 'boss 64.

It will be seen that extending the friction surface transversely of the spring group gains sufficient space so that generous bearings areas may -be provided between all xparts. In addition, the top plate is strengthened longitudinally by `the webs 22, -22. The positioning of the wedges 52, -I52 adjacent Yeach set of :springs 6, 6 reduces to the minimum the bendingmoment on the bottom plate 14 which provides for long life in service.

.I claim:

il. In a spring group, spaced top and bottom plates, vcoil :springs and =a friction device therebetween, said friction device comprising a friction wall depending from said top `plate and :disposed -substantially centrally thereof and providing friction surfaces `extending transversely of the group, spaced depending webs on :said Atop plate and disposed adjacent opposite ends'of saidwwall and merging intermediate -their ends with .said "wall, wedge posts at opposite sides .of 4said friction wall and spaced transversely of .said group, the wedge posts at each side of said plate present- .ing at their 4.upper fends 'wedge surfaces sloping downwardly toward the .adjacent friction surface, 'La friction shoe in .frictional engagement with each friction :surface vand having a portion extending `between the adjacent posts and having other portions in wedge L:engagement with the @wedge 'surfaces on the adjacent posts, anda coil spring rextending into each shoe and seated against the lower end of .the -rst-mentionedportion-of 'the shoe and against the top plate and Y compressed therebetween.

2. In a spring group, spaced top and bottom plates, sets of coil springs disposed at the four corners of said plates therebetween, a wedge post on one of said plates adjacent each set of springs, a friction member connected to the other plate and extending therefrom toward said one plate, friction shoes disposed at opposite sides of said friction member and in frictional engagement therewith along substantially vertical surfaces and in wedge engagement with the adjacent posts along surfaces converging toward said one plate, and a plurality of webs integral with said member and said other plate, said webs embracing said shoes, said webs and member and being H-shaped in :horizontal cross section.

3. In a spring group for a railway car truck, spaced top and bottom plates, a coil spring adjacent each corner of said plates disposed therebetween, a wedge post adjacent each coil connected to one of the plates, a friction member H-shaped in horizontal cross .section on the other plate, a hollow friction shoe at each side of said member in wedge engagement with the adjacent two posts and the connecting portion of said H- shaped friction member, and spring means compressed between each shoe and said other plate.

4. In a spring plate for a Yspring group, a plate member comprising a peripheral flange, a friction member integral with the plate and com- .prisi-ng a wall extending outwardly .from one side of the plate and having its lateral extremities merging with adjacent portions Yof said ange, spaced generally parallel webs connected at one of their edges to said plate and extending transversely of said wall Vand merging intermediate their lateral edges with said wall, and friction surfaces a't opposite sides of said wall between said webs.

5. In a spring group, spaced top and bottom plates, coil springs disposed at the fou-r corners of the `plates land confined therebetween, .a substantially vertical wall formed integral rat its upper edge with the bottom side of `'said top plate and disposed a-t substantially the transverse vertical center plane of :said top plate, webs extending from each side of said wall and normal thereto :and ymerging lwith said wall along the entire vertical length thereof and also merging w-ith said -top plate, spaced wedge means onsaid bottom plate .disposed one adjacent .each spring, friction shoes at opposite `sides tof said wall in Ifrictional `engagement with substantially vertical surfaces lthereon and in wedge vengagement with the adjacent posts, and spring -means .operatively vassociated with .said shoesV for `urging the shoes into said wedge 'engagement and frictiona'l iengagement.

6. In a spring group, espaced top and bottom plates, resilient means and .a friction Vdevice therebetween, a friction member .on one plate presentingoppositelyfacing friction surfacessup `port means for said friction member v,consisting of a plurality :of webs .normal vto :and Aintegral with said friction lmember Jand :said one plate, said webs and member being H-.shaped in hori- `zontal :cross section, Ya 'pair :of :spaced wedge `surfaces on the other plate adjacent .eachfriction surface and slapping :toward -the same, `and a lfriction .-shoe extending `between the surfaces of each pair and in wedge engagement therewith and Tin frictiona'l engagement with the ed-jacent friction surface, and resilient meansfoperatively .associated with said shoes vfor `urging the same into said engagement. Y

I?. vIn a :spring group, :,spaceditop and vbottom plates, coil springs and a friction device therebetween, said friction device comprising a follower connected to the top plate and depending therefrom and having a central portion of H- shape in horizontal cross section and including a pair of spaced webs extending longitudinally of the spring group and a friction wall between said Webs and extending transversely of the spring group, said friction wall being extended beyond said webs and merging with said top plate, friction surfaces on opposite sides of said wall between said webs, friction shoes disposed at opposite sides of said wall and guided by and between said webs and in frictional engagement with the adjacent surface, spaced wedge means on the bottom plate disposed adjacent each web and in wedge engagement with the adjacent shoe, and a coil spring within each shoe extended with a portion of the shoe between the adjacent wedge means and compressed between said portion and said top plate.

8. In a spring group, spaced top and bottom plates, resilient means and a friction device between said plates, said device comprising a member having a wall depending from said top plate and extending transversely thereof, spaced webs adjacent to opposite ends of said wall intersecting the same and formed integral at their upper ends with said top plates, a friction surface at each side of said wall between said webs, wedge means on said bottom plate adjacent to each surface, and a friction shoe wedged between each friction surface and the Wedge surface, and spring 6 means compressed between each shoe and said top plate, said wedge means loosely embracing a part of each shoe and said webs loosely embracing another part of the related shoe.

9. In a spring group, spaced top and bottom plates, coiled springs disposed at the four corners of said group and offering exible connection between said plates, a friction device disposed intermediate said plates, said device comprising a wall depending from said top plate and extending laterally thereof, friction plates secured to each side of said wall, webs normal to and merging with said wall and said top plate and embracing said friction plates, friction shoes in frictional engagement with said friction plates, and means to maintain said shoes and said plates in frictional engagement.

10. A spring group, according to claim 9, wherein said means consist of wedge surfaces engaging said shoes, and coiled springs compressively engaging said shoes.

LAWRENCE F. RAMOS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,399,535 Bachman Apr. 30, 1946 2,483,181 Clasen Sept. 27, 1949 2,483,184 Cottrell Sept. 27, 1949 2,516,072 Piron July 1s, 1950 

